Degrees/Diplomas: Ph.D., 1978, Personality and Social Psychology, University of Connecticut

Training Area: Psychology and Law

Research Interests: False Confessions and Interrogations

Dr. Kassin joined the faculty at John Jay after spending most of his career at Williams College. After receiving his Ph.D., he served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Kansas; a U.S. Supreme Court Judicial Fellow, working at the Federal Judicial Center; and a visiting professor at Stanford University.

Kassin is author of the textbook Social Psychology (2011, 8th edition), published by Cengage Learning. He has also authored an introductory psychology textbook and a number of scholarly books. Dr. Kassin is interested in the prevention of wrongful convictions. He pioneered the scientific study of false confessions by developing a taxonomy that is widely accepted and research paradigms that are now used to assess why innocent people are targeted for interrogation, why they confess, and the impact of this evidence on judges, juries, and others. He was awarded an APA presidential citation for his research on false confessions; works with the Innocence Project; and is currently funded by the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Kassin is Past President of the American Psychology-Law Society (APA Division 41). He has testified as an expert witness in state, federal, and military courts and is senior author of the 2010 AP-LS White Paper entitled “Police-Induced Confessions: Risk Factors and Recommendations.” He lectures frequently to judges, lawyers, psychologists, and law enforcement groups and has served as an analyst for all major news networks.